Homebrew OPEN_AGB_FIRM discussion thread

[Deleted member 323844]

im referring to the official doom gba port, i will test the save override tho, thx

Retail games should be included already in the database.

According to Advanscene, it's eeprom 4K.

http://www.advanscene.com/html/Releases/dbrelpure.php?id=0153

 

[DarthBellic]

i only see eeprom 8k and 64k as options, no 4k

 

[DarthBellic]

i only see eeprom 8k and 64k as options, no 4k

yeah i tried all the options, none are working, rip

 

[johndpoe]

@stranno Thanks a lot for keeping up with the new builds.

I see that in the last one, the scaling can be changed with a config setting. However, I was finding quite useful to have 3 different versions of the payload with the different scaling methods, so I could just start whatever I wanted depending if I wanted to play something scaled up to full screen, or 1:1, and start the bilinear one in other cases...

Now with the config setting, the process is a bit more complex. I have to either put the sd card in the pc to change the config, or figure out a text editor for the 3ds...
Do you think that it would be possible to detect a key combination when starting the payload, so open_agb_firm started with one or another scaling method?

 

[BETA215]

@stranno Thanks a lot for keeping up with the new builds.

I see that in the last one, the scaling can be changed with a config setting. However, I was finding quite useful to have 3 different versions of the payload with the different scaling methods, so I could just start whatever I wanted depending if I wanted to play something scaled up to full screen, or 1:1, and start the bilinear one in other cases...

Now with the config setting, the process is a bit more complex. I have to either put the sd card in the pc to change the config, or figure out a text editor for the 3ds...
Do you think that it would be possible to detect a key combination when starting the payload, so open_agb_firm started with one or another scaling method?

You can use this Luma build (https://gbatemp.net/download/luma-10-2-1-with-night-light-and-quick-switchers.35619/) for swapping config files in Rosalina. I know it's not the perfect solution, but at least you won't need to use your PC to change 'em.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

@stranno Thanks a lot for keeping up with the new builds.

I see that in the last one, the scaling can be changed with a config setting. However, I was finding quite useful to have 3 different versions of the payload with the different scaling methods, so I could just start whatever I wanted depending if I wanted to play something scaled up to full screen, or 1:1, and start the bilinear one in other cases...

Now with the config setting, the process is a bit more complex. I have to either put the sd card in the pc to change the config, or figure out a text editor for the 3ds...
Do you think that it would be possible to detect a key combination when starting the payload, so open_agb_firm started with one or another scaling method?

Hopefully in the future you can just press a key combination to change the scaling mode. Feature idea?

 

[ghjfdtg]

@johndpoe
If you are willing to compile yourself you can try changing the default scaler and then remove the scaler line from your existing config file.

https://github.com/profi200/open_agb_firm/blob/master/source/arm11/open_agb_firm.c#L102

 

[AleronIves]

Use GM9's hex editor to open the configuration file and change the scale value between 0x30, 0x31, and 0x32 for 0, 1, and 2.

 

[Chris_Highwind]

Some things I had noticed while playing Pokemon Emerald ROM hacks with open_agb_firm:

• If the hack requires you to set the clock ingame, then upon rebooting, the firm will change the time based on your system clock, rendering the in-game time out of whack. One of the hacks I tried, Pokemon ROWE, only did it once, but kept the time I set in subsequent new games, but another hack, Pokemon Emerald Enhanced, would do this every time I started a new game.
• Also with Enhanced Emerald, I had a moment where I ended up getting stuck on a black screen when transitioning out of battle, which is an issue found with less accurate emulators on that hack However, seeing as open_agb_firm is meant to be real hardware, I was a bit confused as to why I got a black screen.

 

[ghjfdtg]

The later must be an issue with the ROM hack. Many of these ROM hacks never got properly tested on hardware and may rely on emulator bugs to work correctly. I would try testing this ROM hack on mGBA on PC at the exact spot it would normally blackscreen and then take a look into the log file. mGBA will report misbehaving games. If there is nothing in the log it probably relies on inaccurate emulation.

 

[BETA215]

Some things I had noticed while playing Pokemon Emerald ROM hacks with open_agb_firm:

• If the hack requires you to set the clock ingame, then upon rebooting, the firm will change the time based on your system clock, rendering the in-game time out of whack. One of the hacks I tried, Pokemon ROWE, only did it once, but kept the time I set in subsequent new games, but another hack, Pokemon Emerald Enhanced, would do this every time I started a new game.
• Also with Enhanced Emerald, I had a moment where I ended up getting stuck on a black screen when transitioning out of battle, which is an issue found with less accurate emulators on that hack However, seeing as open_agb_firm is meant to be real hardware, I was a bit confused as to why I got a black screen.

If you have access to a DS/DS Lite and a flashcart, I would test those games over there. AGB_FIRM should behave like those consoles in GBA compatibility mode, if there's any difference it would be good to point it out (dunno how flashcarts handle RTC compared to a 3DS).

 

[ghjfdtg]

Update:
Tested the ROM hack and can't reproduce the blackscreen issue (tested battles with wild Pokemon). The hack claims to support SRAM saving but it only works with flash 1m + RTC.

And as i expected it's buggy. mGBA gave me these errors:

[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:	Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000

However these errors would not cause issues on 3DS i think.

edit:
As for the RTC issue i it looks like open_agb_firm does not yet support RTC offsets. It simply changes the clock to the current time and date on each boot.

 

[Rj.MoG]

Update:
Tested the ROM hack and can't reproduce the blackscreen issue (tested battles with wild Pokemon). The hack claims to support SRAM saving but it only works with flash 1m + RTC.

And as i expected it's buggy. mGBA gave me these errors:

[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000002
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000004
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load16: 0x00000008
[GAME ERROR] GBA Memory:    Bad BIOS Load8: 0x00000000

However these errors would not cause issues on 3DS i think.

edit:
As for the RTC issue i it looks like open_agb_firm does not yet support RTC offsets. It simply changes the clock to the current time and date on each boot.

Honestly this is just the hacks. For Pokémon Romhacks you’re gonna have to use GPSP. All of them are going to have issues on anything resembling real hardware and there’s nothing you can do about it.

 

[Chris_Highwind]

The sad thing is the developer of Emerald Enhanced recommends people use accurate emulators and considers black screen issues a result of using an inaccurate emulator.

Either way, I've found the Pokemon ROWE is more my speed, as EE tends to have a difficulty increase as part of it, and I don't really find difficulty hacks as fun as most people do. However, I am curious as to why I can't seem to use Y or SELECT+Y to take screenshots in stranno's latest build.

EDIT:

Is your capslock ok?
This homebrew just uses the same built-in GBA hardware that GBA/GBA injections use. So it's hardware limited and currently does not add any additional features, such as fast-forward or savestates. GB/GBC games can be emulated and have those features using GameYob 3DS, which you can get through Universal-Updater

Has GameYob 3DS improved since I last used it? I remember that there was some issues present in it that wasn't present in the DS version that made it inferior.

 

[andot]

The sad thing is the developer of Emerald Enhanced recommends people use accurate emulators and considers black screen issues a result of using an inaccurate emulator.

Either way, I've found the Pokemon ROWE is more my speed, as EE tends to have a difficulty increase as part of it, and I don't really find difficulty hacks as fun as most people do. However, I am curious as to why I can't seem to use Y or SELECT+Y to take screenshots in stranno's latest build.

EDIT:

Has GameYob 3DS improved since I last used it? I remember that there was some issues present in it that wasn't present in the DS version that made it inferior.

mGBA runs GB / GBC games more smoothly and clearly than gameyob 3DS. Even running GBA games is better than open_agb_firm on New3DS/New3DSXL/New2DSXL, mGBA has better display effect (800px mode) and better save type compatibility.

 

[ber71]

For o3ds, many GBC titles are a bit slow in mgba, being dsi gameyob a more consistent choice.

 

[andot]

For o3ds, many GBC titles are a bit slow in mgba, being dsi gameyob a more consistent choice.

For O3DS, gameyob 3DS is slower than mGBA. DSi gameyob does run faster, but it starts slowly and the display effect is poor on 3DS. Maybe GB / GBC VC is the best choice for O3DS.

 

[ghjfdtg]

Even running GBA games is better than open_agb_firm on New3DS/New3DSXL/New2DSXL, mGBA has better display effect (800px mode) and better save type compatibility.

I disagree. Have you ever tried more than a few games on N3DS in mGBA? Some games have crackling audio and slowdowns. And if you compare 800 vs. 400 pixel wide scaling you will see it barely makes a difference.

Save type issues have been solved for retail games since the database was introduced.

 

[BETA215]

mGBA runs GB / GBC games more smoothly and clearly than gameyob 3DS. Even running GBA games is better than open_agb_firm on New3DS/New3DSXL/New2DSXL, mGBA has better display effect (800px mode) and better save type compatibility.

open_agb_firm uses GBA hardware present on the console. Unless you like savestates and romhacks that depend on emulation bugs, there's not much reason to use an emu vs the real hardware. You basically have a GBA inside your 3DS but prefer to use an emulator.

 

[andot]

I disagree. Have you ever tried more than a few games on N3DS in mGBA? Some games have crackling audio and slowdowns. And if you compare 800 vs. 400 pixel wide scaling you will see it barely makes a difference.

Save type issues have been solved for retail games since the database was introduced.

Yes, I tried Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, MegaMan, Sonic, Castlevania, Pokemon & Dragon Ball series, and many other classic games, such as Mother 3, Kingdom Hearts etc. Some of them are chinese version, some of them are hacked version. mGBA works very well, all of them displayed better than open_agb_firm, some of them can't open by open_agb_firm, and most of them can't save on open_agb_firm.